SHAVING or waxing down below can increase the risk of a "burning" genital condition, experts have warned.
Vulvodynia is a chronic condition that can make sex and even inserting a tampon agony.
Sign up for the Fabulous newsletter
Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy
It's thought to affect around 16 per cent of women at some point in their lives, yet experts aren't certain what causes it.
New insights
Now, a team of scientists at Boston University have discovered two new potential links.
They found women who wear skinny jeans and those who groom their pubic hair could be at greater risk of vulvodynia.
Professor Bernard Harlow, who led the first study of its kind, said: "With an increase in the prevalence of pubic hair removal directly from the vulvar region, particularly in adolescent girls, the microabrasions to this sensitive area (caused by hair removal) may predispose young women to immune-inflammatory complications.
"Likewise, tight-fitting jeans or pants can create an environment that fosters genital tract infections, which have been shown to be associated with vulvar pain onset."
Hollywood risk
To find the link, scientists looked at 213 women aged 18 to 40 with confirmed cases of vulvodynia.
They looked at women's self-reported histories of personal hygiene behaviours a year before they started to complain of painful symptoms.
And they compared it with records of 221 women never diagnosed with the condition.
Their findings showed women who wore skinny jeans four or more times a week were twice as likely to suffer vulvodynia compared to those who rarely wore tight-fitting trousers.
Roughly 70 per cent of women in both groups admitted to removing their pubic hair.
But, the scientists discovered women who removed hair from the mons pubis - soft mound of skin above the genitals - were 74 per cent more likely to suffer vulvodynia than those who only removed hair from their bikini line.
Women who preferred a Hollywood wax - removing all their pubic hair weekly - were nearly twice as likely to suffer the condition, compared to those who only removed hair from their bikini line every month.
Under-diagnosed embarrassing condition
Tanran Wanglight
MORE ON WOMEN'S HEALTH
HEROIC END
WW2 pilot saved dozens as rain unearths crashed plane in 80-year-old mystery
SUN SAVERS
Five cash-saving tips to help you get ready for Christmas without overspending
THIEF PLEA
Images of known shoplifters must be shared to protect staff, says Iceland boss
DRESSING DOWN
Lady Starmer opts for casual look for Labour conference amid freebies row
"It's very under-diagnosed because of the stigma attached to it," she said.
"It was important for me to know that this is a highly prevalent condition, and that there are women out there who are embarrassed to talk about it."
The findings were published in the Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease.
The team at Boston Uni said they hope their discovery will lead to more research into evidence-based predictors of vulvodynia, to help improve doctors' understanding of and treatment of the condition.
